International Law, US Power

Shirley Scott explains how the USA has benefited from continuity in its strategic engagement with international law.

This book is for international lawyers, political scientists and all those who want to understand how the USA has benefited throughout its history from its strategic engagement with international law. The USA's pursuit of offensive and defensive legal security has been an important ingredient of its 'smart power'.Observers of the USA's attitude towards international law seem to be perpetually taken aback by its actions, whether those relate to the use of force, the International Criminal Court or human rights. This book sets out to articulate the considerable degree of continuity in the nature of US engagement with international law. International Law, US Power explains that the USA has throughout its history pursued a quest for defensive and offensive legal security and that this was a key ingredient in the rise of the USA. Although skilful strategic involvement with international law was an ingredient in the USA 'winning' the Cold War, the rise of China and the growing negotiating strength of leading developing countries mean that the USA is likely to find it increasingly difficult to use the same set of techniques in the future.